Washable printed leather



: plates, with the employment for Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES S. FRIEDMAN, OF

NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 socIE'rE ANGIENS ETABLISSEMENTS COMBE & FILS & CIE., OF IPARIS, FRANCE, A CORPORA- TION OF FRANCE WASHABLE PRINTED LEATHER No Drawing. Original applicationfiled April 13, 1923, Serial No. 631,954, Patent No. 1,716,120, and in France November 30, 1922. Divided and this application filed May 4, 1929. Serial No. 860,606.

Heretofore, the only hides or skins used for the production of printings were those which have been tanned with vegetal substances, like those which are used for making moroccoleather goods, for furniture, book-bindings, fancy articles, millinery and dress-making. Besides this, the leather and the printing would not resist washing.

The present application which is a division of my Patent 1,716,120, dated June 4, 1929, relates to a process for producing washable printings upon leather. with the purpose of obtaining articles, which besides being adapted for the above mentioned purposes, may compete with the polychromatic fabrics as used actually for shoes, slippers and the like, which they imitate in appearance and of which they possess the softness.

According to the invention, the hide or skin is first tanned with formol in the usual manner, this tanning operation enabling the hide orskin to subsequently withstand, after printing, a temperature sufficiently high to fix the dye-stuffs used for printing fabrics.

After the operation of tanning with formol, the hides or skins are submitted to a new tanning operation in a bath of powdered sumach or any other similar substance, for an hour, at a temperature of C.

They are for instance mechanically treated in the usual manner in order to give them the appearance of velvet, or suede leather; in other words, ooze or suede, or any other finish.

After having been dried at 35 0., the hides or skins are then ready to be printed. This operation is performed by means of engraved example, of the following mixture Dye-stufi' (Rhodamine) Tragacanth Acetate of chrome Tannic acid Glycerine Water The printin 25 to 30 grams 200 to 500 grams 40 to 60 grams 5 to 10 grams 5 to 10 grams 2 liters colours can be applied upon any ground co or or the ground color can be obtained after printing. I

After the printingbperation has taken the hides or skins receive an place, the hides or skins are placed in a steam room, for about one hour, at a temperature of 75 C. a v

This steaming has for its purpose, the thorough penetration of the dye-stuff which, prior to this operation, was but superficial. Moreover this-treatment in the steam room means a step towards the fixing which is effected by employing the usual pigments or mordants and is completed in a bath of emetic such as tartar emetic or of acid, according to the nature of the dye-stuffs used.

T ployed to temporarily fix the dyestuffs which have been applied; but their main purpose is to form a chemical combination which intimately associates itself with the fibres of the leather, after a stay in the emetic and acid baths.

Any colour may be used in carrying out the process and as may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, the mordant employed will depend upon the colour used.

The hides or skins are then washed in clear water; they are thus ready to be used for the manufacture of the articles for which they are intended.

The leather thus printed, retains, after washing all its properties as to softness and strength; moreover the penetration of the dye-stuff is deep enough, so that the colours will not fade after a certain time of use.

It must be observed that the above figures and details for carrying out the invention have been given only by way of example and that they can be modified withoutdeparting from the principle ofthe invention.

For instance, the tanning with formol could easily be re laced by a tawing process with the use ofiformol or alum.

What I claimis':

As a new article of manufacture, a leather provided with decorative colored design e acid or metallic mordants are emsin thickness of the leather, both said leather and saidcoloring being adapted to withstand washing.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

CHARLES s. FRIEDMAN. 

